When I had my garage I had several old friends that owned or managed part stores that wanted my business, wanted to have their salesman stop by as they knew I fetched my own parts.
No thanks was always the reply.
Of course all my heavy equipment work parts were sourced through the dealers, Case, John Deere Aeroquip etc. They didn't do any 'retail' sales so pretty much no problems there.
I had my main Napa store an even though their machinist screwed up my 440 heads (lessen learned think GM) they had the same 2/3 guys that ran the counter for many many years, tells you something about a long time family run business. The closest non-chain part store I stopped going too 'cuz the quality went down and the prices went up. I would stop in just enough to keep my face known to the counter turn over and to put it in their face for removing my account for some lame excuse like non-use. Kind of like the Internet today, I'd just grab a box or two of bolts or some spray liquids. Later on I was going more and more to the local car dealers for parts like water pumps & starter motors and even hoses as most re-built stuff was total junk and would kick back in days to months. I had a sweet account at a Chevy dealer, a friends brother in-law managed the parts department at a Ford dealership so in the right price door there but it was a little bit of a drive so the cab company owner got me in the door via the top shop mechanic at the local Lincoln Mercury dealership. I also found back then that truck parts were better to get from the dealers as then the car shops would give me a look when I'd inform them 'dump truck'.
Now Mopar is a funny story... when I read in HotRod magazine that the stock HiPo trick was to get Hemi mufflers for your Mopar, even had the part number in the article, so when I did the exhaust on the first PK21 off to the closest Plymouth dealer, no go, seems they didn't want to order anything for a long haired snotty teenager.
Next stop bigazz Dodge dealer in the city 2 towns away. Success! Even though the short haired bubba took my money and put the order in and it would be 2 to 4 weeks before they came in. Sweet!
Well Well Well to my surprise when I went in to pick up my order he brings out 2 Walker mufflers! Grrrrrr. What part of the Chrysler part number don't you understand? This'll work.... Oh yea, money back or re-order that'll work for me, he did re-order and I didn't ***** about the time just glad I got them.
I never ever went back there ever again, but wait! Many many years later I walk into my local Plymouth dealer parts department in my work uniform (trade) and lo and behold whose behind the parts counter, F'in Barry from the Hemi muffler fun. I just turned around and walked out. Came back many years later and he was gone...
Another local small family owned parts store, long standing business, (think pre-war) had I swear Barry's brother or cousin always running the counter and even though meeting their really nice guy salesman at another friends garage this counterman was a dick. I met someones girlfriend that knew him and she informed me that he was 'related' and wouldn't be going anywhere soon. LOL
Eventually they got busy and hired another counter guy and when he was waiting on me I always got dirty looks from the dick, 'don understand why, I use to work in that town for one of the best employers I ever had, got to know the 'right' people in town as they say. Must'a been a long hair thing leftover from the 50/60's or as the gas station next to where I worked in that town, the owners daughter & boyfriend were murdered by some wanna-be Hells Angels from my town and in fact I was friends with the 2 of the sons of the family, use to go water skiing behind (IIRC) the older brother that was convicted boat.
So maybe some connection/resentment there but all that happened many years after I had moved on, strange. I think I was in California or Florida when the murders happened.
Even though I never faulted them for quality or price I wouldn't even think of opening a account to get jobber price with them as their salesman was recommending.
I did get him back though,,, but I'd half'ta plead the 5th on that visit....
